Prosecutors in Egypt's northwestern province of Mersa Matrouh ordered Sunday the detention of 30 rioters for 15 days over involvement in clashes between Muslims and Christians on Friday. they are accused of destroying others' private properties and jeopardising the public security. "Thirty people are remanded in custody for 15 days after taking part in clashes between Muslims and Christians in Matrouh," a legal source said Sunday. He added that there were reconciliation efforts underway between the Muslims and church spearheaded by the security officials and lawmakers. The rioters were arrested inafter fighting erupted between Muslims and Christians over land. At least 24 people were hurt in the fighting in Mersa Matrouh, including women and children, security sources said. The dispute broke out after Coptic Christian villagers built a fence, around land next to a church-run building. Hussein Fekry, head of security at the governorate, said Muslim residents of the village objected to the fence which blocked a main road. Relations between Egypt's Muslims and Christians, mainly Copts, are usually calm but can become strained and sometimes erupt into violence over issues such as inter-faith relationships and land. Christians make up about 10 per cent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people. The rest are mostly Sunni Muslims. The Egyptian law stipulates taking permission from governors before carrying out any expansions or renovating any of the churches nationwide. Meanwhile, around 400 Muslims protested outside a police station in the Upper Egyptian city of Farshout after two young Christian had allegedly kidnapped a young girl. The police arrested the girl and the two Copts and the investigations are underway.
